Tampa’s
TECO Line Streetcar System
Inventing the Future. Respecting the Past.
Investing in Tampa’s Future
Tampa's investment in an historic replica streetcar
system is paying dividends in economic development
as well as proving a functional way to move people.
The TECO Line Streetcar System is a 2.4-mile
single-track system operating seven
days a week from mid-morning until
late evening, later on weekends. The
eight car system uses air conditioned replicas of the Birney Safety
cars that originally ran in Tampa until
1946. Construction of the system
was a joint venture between the City
of Tampa and the Hillsborough Area
Regional Transit Authority. Total cost
for the 2.4 miles of track, vehicles
and stations was approximately
$32 million. Related structures and
property purchases raised the
overall cost to $56 million.
A return of streetcars was originally envisioned by the Tampa and Ybor
City Street Railway Society as a
rolling history museum with restored
streetcars, using one of the previous on-street route
alignments. Ultimately, the idea of an entirely new system emerged featuring a new alignment that would
engender greater opportunities for development, with
higher ridership potential, rather than sticking to one
that made sense 75 years ago. That decision, which
the historic streetcar enthusiasts embraced, made
obtaining funding easier, and set a new course for a
coordinated transportation and economic development
strategy.
Tampa had struggled to create an identity that combined its downtown with historic Ybor City, and the new
Channelside entertainment and residential district. In
many people's minds they seemed unrelated, despite
their close proximity. The streetcar system made the
connection. It has become the iconic link to Tampa's
urban lifestyle, creating an entirely new identity for the
city. This new identity combines entertainment, jobs,
and services in the city core. Downtown, Channelside,
and Ybor have become one through the streetcar line.
Of equal importance, the new streetcar system
offers downtown employees and visitors an opportunity to park their personal vehicles in one place and
experience the interesting things to do in Tampa. This
"park once" environment works as well for downtowns
as it does for shopping malls, and has greatly benefited
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cities with streetcar systems. The streetcar, and the
related sidewalk, lighting, and esthetic improvements
to the walking environment, create increased shopping
activity that benefits merchants and visitors alike, and
it reinforces the sense of place.
Since being announced, numerous developers have sought to position projects near the new streetcar
line. Housing, both new and converted, has become a hot commodity along the line, with developers
prominently advertising their proximity to the streetcar line. In Ybor City
a 450 unit apartment complex was
recently completed that helps to create a ridership base in the historic
district.
Ridership has been strong from
the outset. The business plan called
for an average of 950 riders per day.
but, since the October 2002 opening
the system has averaged more than
1,250 per day, and topped 300,000
riders before the end of June. That's 25 percent above
projections. Even summer ridership has been better
than expected.
The success of Tampa's streetcar system can be
traced to the cooperation between the City of Tampa
and Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority to
implement the system, the hard work of Tampa Historic
Streetcar, Inc. which is the non-profit corporation created to manage the system, the Metropolitan Planning
Organization’s support through prioritization of federal
funds used in part to fund the system, and the support
of local business community. The Florida Department
of Transportation and Federal Transit Administration
contributed not only funding, but knowledge and effort
that make them full partners.
Enthusiastic leadership, along with good planning
and willing funding partners, took the community goal
of "bringing back restored streetcars" and fashioned it
into a powerhouse plan which is helping redevelop an
undervalued waterfront, creating business opportunities, and providing much needed transportation in a
constrained corridor and a new identity for Tampa's
urban waterfront. And now planning is underway for
the streetcar line to be extended into the downtown
business core to make a strong contribution to its
emerging arts district and north end housing.
TECO Line Streetcar
Current Line and Future Extensions
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Short History
In their heyday-the first half of the 20th centuryTampa's streetcars whisked passengers to and from
Ybor City, Ballast Point, Hyde Park, Sulphur Springs,
Seminole Heights and points beyond, 53 miles of
trackway. Operated by uniformed conductors, the
Birney cars were a welcome sight, and the familiar
clang of the streetcar bell was music to the ears. To
ride the streetcar was to feel the pulse of the community.
Tampa's first electric streetcar lines were built in
1892 and quickly became an essential part of everyday life. Workers took the streetcar downtown and to
the cigar factories of west Tampa. Families climbed
aboard for a picnic or ball game in DeSoto and
MacFarlane parks. The system reached its peak of
popularity in the 1920s with almost 24 million passengers in 1926, Tampa's streetcar system rolled to a stop
on August 4, 1946, at 2:15 a.m. when the last streetcar
retired to the car barn. The cars made a dramatic bonfire.
The System
The first phase of the new streetcar system
opened October 19, 2003 with the 2.3 mile line starting in Ybor City at 8th Avenue and 20th Street in front
of Centennial Park. It initially continued up 8th
Avenue traveling through the Channelside District
and ending at the Forum. In January 2003 its first
extension carried it another .2 of a mile through the
Southern Transportation Plaza across from the
Tampa Convention Center on Ice Palace Drive
between Florida Avenue and Franklin Street.
The system is a conventional electric transit system. Engineering firm URS designed the singletrack, bi-directional system with passing tracks to
permit the meeting and passing of the streetcars
traveling in opposite directions. The conductors /
motormen operate by line-of-sight with one direction
having right-of-way.
Construction was by Herzog Contracting
Corporation with Mass Electric as subcontractor.
Power for the system is provided by two substations.
The overhead catenary system carries 600 volts
of direct current. A transformer on the streetcars
convert the direct current into alternate current.
The station stops serve parking venues in Ybor
City and Tampa with parkers jumping on the streetcars to the Centro Ybor entertainment complex,
restaurants in Ybor City, the Tampa Port Authority
and the cruise ship terminals, the Channelside
Shops, the Florida Aquarium, the St. Pete Times
Forum, the Tampa Convention Center, and multiple
hotels along the line.
The southwestern terminus of the system is at the
Southern Transportation Plaza. The track diagonally
continues through the Plaza before ending. The ending point will become the starting point for the next
extension, which will have another parking garage
and two hotels along it. The first extension will bring
the streetcar line to the edge of downtown office core.
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The Stations
The TECO Line Streetcar System has ten station
stops along its route. The stations which were
designed by Abell Garcia Architects provide seating,
trash receptacles, lighting, and
information kiosks. Two different
architectural styles were used for
the stations.
In Ybor City the stations are
designed to look like historic train
sheds. The bases are clad with the
historic brick pavers that were
taken out of Ybor City's streets for
the installation of the rail. Wrought
iron railings are used and the
wood roofs are covered with slate
shingles. Pavers around the stations are done in a historic octagonal pattern that is used throughout
Ybor City.
The Channel District stops reflect the sleek industrial architecture that is dominant in the area.
Covered with stainless steel rounded roofs, the soffits are sky-blue. Aquamarine terrazzo provides sure footing. The
railings are stainless steel.
Cadrecha Plaza Streetcar Station
in Ybor City
Public art focuses on seating. In
Ybor City bronze chair sculptures
duplicate the lectern chairs used
by the readers in the turn of the
century cigar factories. Art features in the Port area include terrazzo orange crates and replica
stevedore carts. These elements
are labeled with poetry extolling
the working men of early Tampa’s
signature industries.
Southern Transportation Plaza
Southern Transportation Plaza is the current southwestern terminus of the streetcar system. A modern,
circular structure in the center of the Plaza is the
architectural key feature. The Plaza is a intermodal
station providing access and connections for pedestrians, taxis, local bus service and charter bus service
as well as streetcars. The Plaza which opened three
months after the initial segment has enhanced public
awareness. Ridership on the streetcar system
increased dramatically when the Plaza opened.
The central structure is evocative of a rail roundhouse. Portals are located throughout allowing passengers entry from any direction. The conical glass
roof, supported by radial steel, is designed to provide
lightness and transparency while offering patrons protection from the elements.
Artist Elizabeth Indianos created twelve stainless
steel sentinel light sculptures, ten directional art posts
and the finial for the top of the structure. The sentinels line the track on each side of the roundhouse
and flash when streetcars approach.
The streetcar alignment crosses the site diagonally.
Allowing for the transition of the line northward in the
upcoming extension up Franklin Street into the downtown office core. HART has also reserved 10,000
square feet of the Plaza site for future joint development opportunities.
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Ybor Station
BRW designed Ybor Station and construction
was by John T. Callahan & Sons Inc. Construction
was completed in October 2002. The building is
bordered by 6th Avenue on the south and 7th
Avenue on the north, and Nuccio Parkway and
13th Street on its eastern and western borders at the
edge of the Ybor City National Historic District.
Phase I is the maintenance facility/car barn.
Build-out of the second floor will be later as funding
is available. A companion structure facing 7th
Avenue is also expected to be built in the future to
include a streetcar museum, offices, and possibly
some retail space.
The exterior of the facility is constructed of red
brick and the yard is surrounded with wrought iron
fencing. The Art in Public Places feature is a public
park facing 7th Avenue. The Rough Riders service
club of Tampa has adopted the park and they have
installed a brass plaque commemorating Teddy
Roosevelt. The watering hole for the horses of the
Rough Riders was 1,000 feet from the Ybor Station
site. These troops departed Tampa destined for
Cuba in the Spanish American War. In July 2003,
construction of a hotel broke ground next to Ybor
Station.
The Vehicles
Designed to HART's specifications and manufactured by the Gomaco Trolley Company in Ida Grove,
Iowa, the eight streetcars of the TECO Line Streetcar
System are replicas of the historic Birney cars that ran
in Tampa until 1946. The
streetcars are built on steelframed, double four-wheeled
Peter Witt trucks imported
from Milan, Italy. They are the
first streetcars built in the
United States with factory
installed air-conditioning. The
first streetcar was delivered in
early 2000, and the full complement of eight was completed
and delivered by the end of 2001.
The interior of the streetcars
are lined in oak, with oak and
cherry flip seats. Able to seat
5
forty-four riders, there is room for an additional forty
passengers to stand. The streetcars are also ADA
accessible, with wheelchair seating on both ends of the
car. Bicycles can be secured in the wheelchair areas
when the areas are not being
used by wheelchairs. There
are other modern features.
The streetcars feature digital
information displays on each
end of the cars to provide
visual next-stop announcements and automated audio
next-stop announcements.
A ninth car was ordered in
September 2003 with an
expected delivery in 2004.
Each
car
cost
about
$615,000.
The Conductors/Motormen
Driving the TECO Line Streetcar System streetcars, are the conductors/motorman. They are
trained in the rules and procedures of the system
and have received safety and specialty training.
Each holds a commercial driver's license and must
meet Department of Transportation standards each
year the conductors are routinely briefed about
events, restaurants, history and facts about the
area to share with riders and therefore they are
able to provide information to passengers. They
are a key feature of the public image of the system
often appearing in photographs taken by visitors,
and receiving praise for their helpfulness.
There are four classifications of streetcar operators. The highest classification is of the
Conductor/Motorman General. This is the lead
position among operators. They oversee other
operators and are responsible for a greater variety
of duties including some supervisory functions.
Other operator positions are Conductor/Motorman, a full-time operator lead supervisory duties, and two part-time
operator classifications. Full-time Conductors work a 40 hour plus work week. Part-time A Conductors work
up to 30 hours, whereas part-time B Conductors must work a minimum of 8 hours per month to maintain their
safety certifications.
Tampa & Ybor City
Street Railway Society
The Tampa & Ybor City Street Railway Society was founded in 1984 with a mission to bring streetcar service
back to Tampa. Five years later the Society incorporated and began raising money to sustain their long-term campaign to achieve a return of streetcars connecting Tampa's downtown with Ybor City, hence the name. Today the
Society continues in a vital role supporting system expansion, providing an historical perspective, and an avenue
for volunteers to become involved.
From its humble beginnings, "the little
streetcar society that could" has moved
political mountains to help make the new
system a reality. Along the way they have
acquired three streetcars through donations, restored an original Tampa Birney
car #163, and are working on a second,
double-truck Birney. After working in borrowed space for 10 years, the Society is
now in their own shop and museum facility adjacent to Ybor Station.
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Funding for Operations
The funds for the construction of the streetcar system were prioritized by the Hillsborough County
Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO). State and
federal grant funds along with local gas tax funds were
used to build the line and stations, and to buy streetcar
vehicles The larger problem was how to
fund operations.
The Business Plan called for creation of
an assessment district with an assessment to cover about 1/3 the budget. Fares
and advertising revenue were expected to
cover another 1/3 the budget and an
endowment fund was created with a goal
of raising a base of $8 million so that
investment income from the principal
could fund the balance of the operating
budget.
The owners of Harbour Island wanted
the People Mover demolished (a monorail
system used to transport riders from
Harbour Island to downtown and vice
versa) and were willing to pay $5 million
to discontinue the service. The funds were used to
demolish the system leaving $4 million to deposit in the
endowment fund for the Streetcar Systems operation.
Endowment Program
City of Tampa and Hillsborough Area Regional Transit
Authority, owners of the system formed a third entity,
Tampa Historic Streetcar, Inc., to oversee the operations of the system, to
invest the endowment funds, and to sell
naming rights to build up the endowment
fund.
Revenue from Naming Rights
Naming rights of the system, the ten stations and the eight vehicles have been
marketed to raise revenue for the
endowment fund. TECO Energy paid $1
million to purchase the naming rights for
the system. A more suitable buyer could
not have been found since TECO had
owned the historic streetcar system that
ran in Tampa many years ago.
purchased for $100,000. Naming rights are for ten
years. Station naming rights owners have ten-year
renewal options for $150,000 per renewal period.
Purchasers are allowed two years to pay for the
endowments with one third of price due at the time of
signing, one third due at the first anniversary of the signing, and the last one third
due at the second anniversary.
Endowment Benefits
The purchasers receive several benefits
for this investment, the most important
being a tax credit of up to 50 percent of
the value of their donation. Under
Florida's Community Contribution Tax
Credit Program, the credit applies against
State of Florida corporate income tax liability, and since an amendment to the law
in 2001, to sales and use tax liability as
well. In the case of the sales and tax liability, the credit is handled as a refund of
taxes actually paid.
Sponsors also have their names on the
streetcars or on the station stop signage. Links on the
TECO Line website are provided to the sponsors. All
sponsors' names appear on collateral material distributed by the system (maps, brochures, schedules, etc.
at stations, on streetcars), and by marketing partners
such as area hotels, the Tampa Bay Convention and
Visitor's Bureau, and the Florida Aquarium.
Sponsors of cars are entitled to
hold two special events annually
on their streetcars. Station sponsors are allowed one special
event.
Benchmarkers' Club
This special club was formed by
the Tampa Historic Streetcar,
Inc. Marketing Committee to sell
seats on the streetcars. This
gives individuals the chance to
the system and
HART Board Member Manny Alverez and wife City embrace
become
a
part
of the history that
of Tampa Councilwoman Mary Alverez have
is
now
being
made.
At a cost of
endowed two seats through the Benchmarkers’ Club
$250, a brass plaque is installed
on the seat backs. The plaque
Two of the streetcars have been sold.
can
contain
up
to
two
lines of text and up to 20 charSunTrust Bank and Time Warner, Inc. (now Bright
acters
per
line.
The
brass plaques identify the
House Networks) each paid $250,000 for naming
Benchmarkers as supporters of the system. All money
rights to the cars. Eight of the station stops have been
raised is deposited in the endowment fund.
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Assessment District
The Tampa City Council has created a special assessment district to raise funds to help operate the streetcar
system. Properties are assessed $.33 per $1,000 assessed value. Owner occupied residential properties are not
assessed. Each year the assessment increases due to the economic growth seen in the district. Hearings and meetings are held annually in subareas of the district.
The district was established using natural boundaries such as I-4, the Lee Roy Selmon Expressway, the Hillsborough
River, and the Garrison and Ybor Channels. Areas of the district not yet served by the streetcar receive trolley bus
service with vehicles painted with the same paint scheme as the streetcars.
SPECIAL ASSESSMENT
FUNDING DISTRICT
UPTOWN DOWNTOWN
CONNECTOR/ROUTE 96
(6am - 6pm Mon - Fri)
TECO LINE
STREETCAR ROUTE
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Public Relations & Community Outreach
The marketing and public relations activities are directed by the Marketing Committee of Tampa Historic Streetcar,
Inc. using staff of the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority. There is also a Marketing Partners Group made
up of staffs of the Ybor and Greater Tampa Chambers of Commerce, the Tampa Bay Convention and Visitors
Bureau, Downtown Attractions Association, Tampa Downtown Partnership and many businesses and organizations along the corridor who work together to promote events and the streetcar.
Streetcar Guided Tours and Group Travel
HART's public relations department promotes and coordinates guided tours and group travel for the TECO Line
Streetcar System. HART places calls and works in advance to get on the agendas of civic, professional, and community groups. Thousands of rides each month are taken on the streetcar system as a result of the coordinated
effort. Examples of group tours have included the International Association for Exhibition Management,
KinderKare, First Baptist Primetimers Group, the Florida Aquarium (day camp) and Kiwanis. Many of the groups
also take a guided tour of Ybor Station.
Have A Streetcar Party
Looking for a new place to have a birthday party, club meeting or wedding? Look no further than the TECO Line
Streetcar System. Tampa's historic replica streetcars offer a unique setting with room for 80 passengers (40 of
them seated). The rate for using a special streetcar is $150 per hour, per vehicle with a one-hour minimum during
regular service hours. After the first two vehicle hours, the cost per hour is reduced to $125 per hour, per vehicle.
TECO Line Streetcar Report
Dozens of locations now serve as distribution points for the bi-weekly streetcar newsletter. Thousands of individuals and organizations receive the TECO Line Streetcar Report via e-mail. Examples of report topics include the
Tampa & Ybor City Street Railway Society museum fundraiser, a profile of International Bazaar at Centro Ybor as
our newest fare card sales outlet, information about scheduling parties on the streetcar and promotional information about the Florida Aquarium's 8th Birthday Celebration, the 4th of July Freedom Fest and all kinds of timely
events and activities along the line.
In-Town Tampa Guide & Map
The In-Town Guide & Map, published by CJ Publishing, was developed in conjunction with the grand opening of
the streetcar system. This publication encompasses the areas of downtown Tampa, the Channel District, and Ybor
City with information about shopping, dining, museums, galleries, attractions and special events. It is a collaborative effort between CJ Publishers, Inc., HART and the Tampa Downtown Partnership. In it are up-to-date, easyto-use maps featuring HART's downtown connector services and the
streetcar system. There are highlights about parking, HART bus routes
and stops, fares, and a quarterly overview of major events.
Media Relations
Media interest in the grand opening, 1st Birthday Bash, Streetcar Jazz
Hop and ongoing operations of the streetcar system has been vast. The
TECO Line Streetcar System has been featured in such venues as
Southern Living magazine, CNN Television News, AAA Going Places
magazine, the New York Times, the St. Petersburg Times Year in Review
special publication, cable TV's Sunshine Network, ESPN sports cable television, Governing Magazine, Tampa's PBS outlet WEDU television program entitled New Florida, and Tampa Bay Metro magazine, among others.
Going Places Magazine
A TECO Line Streetcar was featured on the cover of the March/April
2003 issue of AAA Auto Club South's magazine. The streetcar also was
included in the president's column and the cover story about the City of
Tampa. Going Places magazine reaches 2.3 million AAA Auto Club South
members in Florida, Georgia and Tennessee. The Tampa Bay
Convention and Visitors Bureau worked with AAA Auto Club South to
achieve this fantastic publicity.
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Ridership
FY 2003
Streetcar Ridership by Day of Week
Sunday
12.1%
Saturday
31.3%
Monday
9.5%
Tampa's biggest annual event is
Gasparilla, a festival loosely
based on a 19th century pirate
who supposedly operated out of
Tampa Bay. Whether Jose
Gaspar was real or not, the
impact of the festival is very real.
The two parades generate millions of dollars for Tampa each
year and boosted first year streetcar ridership in the process. For
the day parade the streetcar system carried 5,760 riders using all
eight cars. The night parade in
Ybor City produced a one-day ridership record of 8,512 riders on
only five streetcars.
Tuesday
8.9%
Wednesday
8.9%
Friday
19.0%
Thursday
10.4%
Monthly Ridership
Other events have produced ridership in the 4,000 to 6,000
range. Promoters are figuring out
how to use the Streetcar System
for access to their events, and
they are capitalizing on the fun of
event goers using this new/old
form of urban transportation.
50,000
FY 2003
Oct 02 - Sep 03
FY 2004
Oct 03 - Present
30,000
20,000
10,000
*Partial Month
Number of Riders
40,000
0
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Serving Special Events
Like most cities, Tampa has a
number of annual special events
in the downtown area, Ybor City,
and Channelside. The streetcar
system is perfectly situated to
serve and benefit from those
events.
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Also giving a big boost to streetcar ridership are the numerous
conferences that are hosted by
local hotels and the Tampa
Convention Center. Southern
Transportation Plaza, the streetcar's southern terminus, now
serves as a hub of downtown
transportation, pedestrian movements, and as a meeting and
gathering place for visitors and
local alike. Many hotels now market and sell streetcar passes and
feature streetcars in their advertising and promotions materials.
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Hours of Operation
Fare Structure
Monday – Wednesday . . . . . . .11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Thursday . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Friday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 a.m. to 2 a.m.
Saturday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 a.m. to 2 a.m.
Sunday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Noon to 8 p.m.
One-Way Cash Fare: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1.50
A value if boarding only once in either direction
of travel.
Discount Cash Fare: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75¢
For seniors age 65 or older, youths age 17 or
younger, those on Medicare or with disabilities.
1-Day Unlimited Ride . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $3.00
A value if you get on and off a streetcar more than
twice throughout the day.
1-Day Discount . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1.50
For seniors age 65 or older, youths age 17 or
younger, those on Medicare or with disabilities.
Annual Unlimited Ride . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $100.00
• A streetcar arrives at a station stop every 15 to
20 minutes.
• It takes 25 to 30 minutes to ride the full length
of the line.
• The last trip of the day begins at each end of
the line (at the times shown as the last hour of
operation). Boarding the streetcar by the final
departure time will insure access to each
station along the route.
Exact fare required. Operators do not carry change.
The TECO Line Streetcar System is operated by the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority (HART) under
contract to Tampa Historic Streetcar, Inc.
Tampa Historic Streetcar, Inc.
Board of Directors
City of Tampa Appointees
Hillsborough Area Regional Transit
Authority Appointees
Mr. Michael English
President
Mr. David Mechanik
Vice President
Councilwoman Mary Alvarez
Secretary/Treasurer
Mr. Ken Hoyt
Ms. Joan Jennewein
Ms. Jan Smith
Mr. Regan Haines
Mr. Edward Hamp
Alternate
Ms. Bonnie Wise
Mr. Chris Prather
Alternate
Mr. Jack Morriss
Mr. Enrique Woodroffe
Alternate
Mr. Ron Ibarra
Alternate
Mr. Dave Parkinson
Alternate
The Tampa Historic Streetcar, Inc. was created by an interlocal agreement between the City of Tampa and
the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority. The purpose of the group is to manage the endowment
fund and the operations of the streetcar system.
Mission Statement
Tampa Historic Streetcar, Inc. (THS) will offer a dynamic new component to Tampa's transportation system
by providing attractive, reliable, comfortable, convenient and safe streetcar service to local residents and
visitors alike.
4/04